The Devil Is In The Details
by Northman Maille
Summary: What do you give the vampire who has everything? Maybe the one thing he doesn't have? A birthday. Written for the 'Let them eat Birthday cake' challenge for seven of our favourite SVM authors. Enjoy lovely July ladies.


Written for the 'Let them eat Birthday Cake' challenge and as a big thank you to seven of the fandom's coolest authors,

Lubadub, Ericizmine, NYCSnowbird, Seastarr, Zhivago3, Kristen Elizabeth and LindsayK. In this story there are 'Eric's Angels', I hope they like what I made them do! Sorry it's at the last minute though!

Big thanks to my super-smashing-great substitute beta Elbly, she stepped in at the last minute and beta'd this stupidly long one shot.

She had no choice actually, my usual fab beta, a Northwoman, was inconsiderate enough to go on a bike ride of over 60 miles a day (I miss her loads.) Elbly did great but any mistakes are hers, not mine. Joke!

Finally, these characters belong to the lovely Mrs Harris not me, as a friend of mine said, I just took them out to play.

The fic is rated M for a reason, please do not read if you do not like adult themes.

Finally! Thanks to Sheba for the technical help and also the music advice, I love you girl!

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The Devil is in the Details

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"Eric! We don't have time, I promised Pam we would be there by 9 o'clock."

"Remind me what that was for Lover?" Eric hadn't forgotten, he never forgot anything, but he thought it couldn't hurt to ask, even if just for a delaying tactic.

Sookie continued to try and wriggle her half naked body out of his grasp, which only served to make him more determined not to let her go. When he rose for the night he had found her singing away to herself in the bathroom, rubbing body lotion into her tanned legs. _Would any red blooded vampire have been able to resist_, he asked himself?

"I told you and you **never** forget anything!" Sookie had clearly spent too long around him to be so easily fooled. "Pam wants us girls to go on a night out, just a few drinks and some laughs; she thinks it might help to cheer everyone up a bit"

'Everyone' needed cheering up due to the deaths of Felicia and Bobby Burnham a few months ago, at the hand of Eric's psychotic 'brother'.

And yet those months had been some of the happiest of Eric's long life, it was just as well that vampires don't really do guilt. He was a vampire without a maker, free to a certain extent, Sookie had finally agreed to cut back on her shifts at Merlotte's and she had moved in with him in Shreveport. Eric was confident that it would only be a matter of time before she broke ties with the Shifter all together and either continue her education or get a job more suitable for the wife of the Sheriff.

He dragged himself back to the conversation, Sookie was looking irate, her hand had settled on her hip in what Eric thought of as 'Sookie's battle stance'. Time for some damage control...

"Oh of course Lover, how could I have forgotten? The sight of your beautiful skin must have driven in clean out of my mind. I am getting old too you know, the memory is usually impaired in the very elderly, who am I again?"

Sookie giggled and slapped his arm.

"I hear that abuse of the elderly is also on the rise, there must be someone I can contact, a vampire refuge of some sort that will protect me against my violent wife?" he did his best to look afraid and failed.

"You are not going to distract me Eric Northman! I need to be on time for this. Let me go so that I can go and finish dressing!"

He studied her with a definitely scheming look upon his face...

"I will strike you a deal my Love, you let me pick your outfit for this evening and I will allow you to carry on making yourself even more beautiful, unmolested."

Sookie considered this, she knew that he wouldn't put her in anything too revealing for a night on the town with her friends, and it wasn't like she even owned anything that dowdy anymore, Pam had seen to that since Sookie moved in with Eric. She nodded in agreement and followed him to her closet.

'_He never ceases to amaze me' _she thought. The dress was best described as 'skimpy', a halter top that tied at the nape of her neck and also at the middle of her back, there was a large crystal ring between her breasts that the, very short, skirt attached to. This left her lower back exposed almost to the top of her ass cheeks and her midriff exposed to below her navel. The fabric was a pale grey silk covered in clear crystals.

"Where did this come from?" she asked

"I asked Pam to purchase something suitable for a young lady on a ladies' night out. I am afraid my tastes in your clothing do not get far past lingerie; therefore I thought it wise to consult with someone else. Is not to your liking?"

Sookie looked at herself in the mirror; she looked sensational, even if she did think so herself, she was just a little surprised that her famously jealous vampire would allow her out in such a revealing outfit.

"It's beautiful Sugar, thank you. I must remember to thank Pam too."

Eric smiled and bent to help her fasten the matching shoes, it seemed as though the decision had been made.

Eric was still smiling when he escorted Sookie to the car. How naive she was to think that a vampire as old as he was, and as good at deception would not know that she was up to something. The time spent talking to Pam, the whispered conversations on the 'phone to Amelia where Sookie had been begging her to drop work and 'attend'? They had all served to pique his interest until he resorted to listening in one night when Sookie and Pam thought that they were alone. That air vent to the female staff changing rooms had proven useful on more than one occasion!

"My Master is not stupid, if we attempt to lure him here with a lame excuse he will know that we are up to something."

"That's why I thought it would be best to keep it simple. But I need a reason to be more dressed up than normal and a reason to keep him away from Fangtasia until you have everything set up. If you request permission to take me on a night out, that will explain how I am dressed and also a reason to arrive at Fangtasia at a specific time. Come on Pam. You know how much I want this party to be a surprise; I can't do it without your help"

Pam sighed

"Very well, but I warn you to be careful, he is not a vampire to underestimate."

His child had learnt well. If they wanted to throw a party for him he would allow them to do so, he could not see any harm in it, besides, anything that would make Sookie happy and take her mind off the issues they had with the King and Victor Madden was a good thing.

"Eric, do you think you could park out front? The rear lot is very wet and littered; I don't want to spoil these lovely new shoes"

He could have toyed with her, told her that he would let her out at the main entrance and then take the car around the back, but he did not want to make her stressed, he was just going along with this little plan of hers for now. Of course he could not pretend not to notice anything, that would just cause her to suspect...

"Sookie, I believe something is wrong. They are no vermin waiting in line, I cannot see the lights from the bar through the windows and there is no music. This could be a trap; I believe you should stay here."

"NO! Er... I mean, no I'm not staying out her alone! If there is something amiss then I am safer with you surely?" she looked at him with panicked eyes and he had to bite back a chuckle.

"Very well, but you must stay close behind me and proceed with utmost caution, do I make myself clear?"

She nodded weakly and followed him toward the front doors.

Eric pushed on the doors and found them unlocked; motioning to Sookie to stay behind him and stay quiet he edged through the gap into the darkened hallway. The interior of the club was dark and appeared to be empty but he could hear the breathing of at least six humans.

In the next second all the lights were turned on and he heard shouts of "Surprise!"

"Sookie! What is this all about?" he looked down at his grinning companion, "did you know all about this? How did you manage to keep this from me? What is the surprise for?"

"Which question should I answer first?" Sookie laughed and towed him by the hand to the middle of the floor; they were surrounded by the more important area vamps, the Fangtasia staff and several humans, including Amelia. "Pam, come over here!"

"Pam and I decided that we should throw you a birthday party, so Happy Birthday Eric!"

Everyone cheered and raised their drinks in a toast, echoing Sookie's words.

"But Lover, you know that I do not know the date of my human birth, there were no calendars or records kept in that time."

"Yes, we know," Pam replied, "but you indicated to me that you had been told you were born in late spring, probably within the last 50 years of the first millennium. We couldn't put a guess on how old you are exactly but we decided to choose today, May 5th as your birthday"

"You gave me a birthday?" Eric was overwhelmed. In the last thousand years no one, even Pam, had ever thought to give him a party for anything, let alone a birthday that it was impossible to know for sure when it was. A few months with his Bonded and he had a birthday and a birthday party. He was touched.

"Thank you, both of you, for this. It is a lovely thing to have done for me." Eric wasn't much for sentimentality, and this was a big speech for him.

After chatting briefly to Amelia, along with the pretty witch that was her date, and promising to catch up later, Eric offered Sookie his right arm and Pam his left and began to walk them towards his throne; he noticed a table to the right of the chair with a glass of blood.

Sookie saw him looking, "It's a very special blend Eric, why don't you try it before it gets too cold?"

He waited for Sookie and Pam to be seated and then lowered his large frame into his own chair. The glass that contained the blood was of very fine crystal, with a Valknut symbol carved into the base.

"This was Pam's idea, Eric."

He looked at his child; she was smiling more widely than he had ever seen her smile without there being bloodshed or torture involved.

"Hurry and drink it birthday boy" she laughed and poked her Master in the arm with a perfectly manicured nail.

He lifted the glass to his lips, his fangs descending automatically with the scent of the blood; it smelled sweet and yet a little bit spicy - familiar, but not quite.

The first taste made his eyes go wide and a deep rumble start in his chest. This was his Bonded's blood, no doubt about that, but with something extra, could that be...pure Fairy?

"Where did you get this?" he exclaimed.

"Well, as you can probably tell, it's mainly my blood, Pam sent a doctor to the house to take some whilst you were sleeping, you asked about the different scent and I told you it was a delivery person who had got lost? But the special ingredient, that was a little harder to obtain. I had to promise the donor a picture of your ass, bare. Which was a lot less than he asked for!" she laughed.

"Claude? You persuaded him to donate blood for me?" Eric said, whilst continuing to drink.

"Yeah, it wasn't that difficult, I guilt tripped him about how we had to save him from Alexei, the picture was just a sweetener to the deal. I think, if it wasn't for the fact you'd drain him before the first course, he would have asked if he could take you out on a date." She laughed.

"Your cousin should know that I have a little Fairy of my own, one a lot more pleasing to the eye. And the hand, the lips, the-"

"Eric!" Pam interrupted, "that is enough of that! You two can act like lovesick teenagers another time, you have guests to entertain!"

In fact there was a group of vampires and a few humans waiting at the side of the dance floor to wish him a Happy Birthday and pay their respects. Eric signalled for the first one to come forward.

Vampires are normally quite attractive; it is often their looks or physical prowess that encourages their Maker to turn them, that clearly wasn't the case for the first person to approach the throne. He was middle aged when he was turned, balding with a paunch. Even though it was impossible he managed to look sweaty too. Eric wasn't keen on the man but he made lots of money for the area and paid his percentage to the Sheriff in exchange for his protection and help.

"May I wish you a very Happy Birthday Sheriff?"

"Yes thank you Howard," Eric replied, "My bonded and I thank you for attending."

Eric thought that was the end of it but apparently not.

"I remember from my life as a human that it is customary to give gifts and greetings cards on these occasions..." he handed Eric a large card with some sort of winter landscape on the front, "that is signed by all my staff."

Eric thanked him once more but then he was handed another envelope, he looked questioningly at Howard but removed a dagger from the inside of his right boot (causing Howard to look even more pasty) and slit the top. It contained several pictures of a beautiful lodge style house, on the edge of a lovely lake. There were several shots taken inside the house too, it was just as impressive as the outside.

"You bought him a HOUSE?" Sookie burst out.

"Um, no not exactly Mistress," his eyes darted from her to Eric, "I have taken the liberty of signing a one year lease, the Sheriff will be at liberty to go there at any time, it is in Colorado so the travelling time won't be too arduous." He spotted Sookie's rather incredulous look.

"Consider it a late bonding present also, I am honoured to be allowed to be part of this celebration and the gift merely reflects that." He was beginning to sound a touch panicked now, he had thought that the Sheriff and his silly human would be pleased with such an extravagant gift but instead they were looking at him like he had done something suspicious!

"Thank you Howard, I am sure my wife and I will enjoy spending time there." Eric said.

Howard scuttled away, the other vampires in the queue regarding him with amusement, all looking down their pretty noses at him.

No one else gave Eric anything as expensive as the lease on the lake house but he was careful to show equal gratitude for all his gifts, irrespective of costs, in fact he seemed to enjoy some of the simple gifts far more. One of his waitresses had bought him a leather journal for him to use when making notes, he complimented it's quality extensively until Sookie thought the poor girl was going to melt into a puddle right there in front of them.

Amelia was last in the queue and she approached the dais with a big smile on her pretty face.

"Hey Sooks, hey big, blond and dead, I understand this is your first birthday party, you sure are big for someone that young." She licked her lips.

"Wouldn't you like to know, little Witch?" Eric teased her back.

"Oh yes sir, I surely would," she drawled in an exaggerated Southern accent. This earned her a growl from Sookie, which made Eric chuckle, so she decided to just hand over the gift before she got herself into trouble.

"There ya go, that's something for both of you really, but I am sure Eric will know exactly what to get. Toodle oo." And with that she jumped off the dais and ran back to her date.

Eric slowly opening the gift bag, he was naturally suspicious of witches and recent experiences hadn't helped any. Inside was a credit note to a store called 'The Pleasure Palace' and a catalogue with their products. Sookie's eyes practically bugged out when she spotted something called a 'fucking machine' it looked like an instrument of torture!

"Don't worry Lover," Eric laughed, we have no need of such a thing, I think I have that covered. But maybe some handcuffs or a spreader...?"

Sookie was turning an alarming shade and shooting daggers at an oblivious Amelia so he decided to put the bag down at the side of this throne and come back to it when she was feeling a little more...receptive.

"Sookie, Pam, this is wonderful, I do not think I have ever had gifts like this before, where the giver is not that close to me and yet takes time to buy me the ideal thing. I was very pleased to have presents that are wrapped too!"

Eric wasn't exaggerating; he really was touched that someone would go to the trouble to pick him out a gift. He got small tokens from the fangbangers all the time, including a small black teddy bear with fangs and a sign around his neck that said 'You can bite me anytime' Eric remembered with a shudder, but they were just to curry his favour or get him to notice them. This was different. For the first time in a long time Eric felt truly appreciated by someone other than his bonded and his child, he liked the feeling. Not that he would be telling anyone that, he didn't have time to kill them afterwards...

"So Daddy," Eric rolled his eyes and Sookie giggled, "Step-mommy and I agreed to keep our birthday gifts a secret from you, so this will be the first time either of you will see this." She handed Eric and embossed leather folder and he looked at it curiously. Inside was a list of websites, an airline departures timetable and some pictures of hotels and houses.

"It is a vacation for both of you to Scandinavia, you may take it any time you wish but of course the winter would be very advantageous so you can take advantage of the long nights." She gave Sookie a lascivious wink. "You may depart from any airport you like and land wherever you wish also, I have provided a list of all the best hotels and rental houses but the websites offer very many more should you not like any of my choices. I have placed credit on a card and given it to the travel agent we normally use, it will be more than enough to cover even a month of travel." She finished and looked at her Maker expectantly.

"Pam, I really do not know what to say...I have wished to take Sookie to see my native land for quite some time but with recent events it never seemed to be the right time. Thank you so much for your thoughtful gift, Sookie and I will enjoy this trip immensely"

Sookie was bouncing up and down in her chair in excitement.

"But how will you be able to take a month off work Eric, won't there be Sheriff business you need to attend to in that time? And what about Fangtasia?"

"Eric will of course be obliged to consult the King and ask for her permission to leave his post," Pam answered for him, "but as for the rest of it I am more than capable of handling it. Now Compton is healed he can do any task I do not care to undertake."

Eric laughed, "For 'I do not care to undertake', read 'that is beneath me'. Please do not over abuse _poor_ Bill, after all he was injured in the defence of my wife."

Pam looked at Sookie. "Why is it that you do not react anymore when he calls you that? You used to correct him every time he said it."

Sookie felt terrible. It was true, she had corrected him when he said 'wife' because the ceremony of pledging was only recognised by vampire, not human, law. She realised she was being silly though, bothering herself with semantics and hurting Eric in the process...

"Pam, that is not something we need to discuss right now, you are making Sookie uncomfortable!"

"No Eric, it's okay. Pam is perfectly right about how I used to react, I am sorry if I hurt you," she turned to him, "I guess I was hung up on my perceptions of what marriage means to humans but now I see it more clearly. A husband is someone who loves his wife above all other, who treats her like a Queen and who is faithful and loyal to his family" she smiled at Pam. "Eric is all those things and more so I decided that I wouldn't let a word or my upbringing blind me to that fact.

Both vampires were speechless for once. Eric even swallowed unnecessarily. He cleared his throat and seemed to find his voice.

"I have always thought that luck was a fallacy, that each of us made our own luck and it wasn't something that one left to chance," he paused and swallowed once more," tonight I find myself doubting that assertion. I am actually an extremely lucky vampire. Sookie, you have given me happiness the like of which I have never experienced. Even when I was human I did not feel like this, only for my children, times were hard then and there was no time for sentimentality. With you I feel like I have been reborn once more, thank you my Lover."

Sookie was in tears; to hear this from Eric made her feel so emotional she felt her heart would burst.

"Master, she is leaking again," Pam said 'leaking' like someone else might have said 'syphilis'. "It is just as well you do not wish to become vampire, you would need to have a greater control on your emotions. She laughed as Sookie gave her the finger.

"Ladies," Eric admonished, when he had both their attention he continued, "As I was saying, I believe that I have been a very lucky vampire, not only in my choice of **wife**, but also in my choice of child." He turned to Pam. "Ever since the first night you rose you have amazed and delighted me with your spirit and loyalty. You have said on numerous occasions that you feel you were made to be a vampire, I can only agree. In all the nights I have known you never once have you disappointed me or let me down, including the times I have been forced to discipline you. I could not have wished for a better child, in fact there is none."

This was a very un Eric thing to say and both women understood it came from the depth of his appreciation for all they had done for him.

Both Eric and Pam were looking a little pink around the eyes but Sookie decided to be the bigger woman/human/whatever and not make any comments about leaking and spoil the moment.

"Thank you Eric. If I had known a free trip would make you this soppy I would have sent you on one long ago." She playfully punched Eric in the arm and he pulled her hair. They really were more like brother and sister than Maker and child and he was glad she had decided to return to him when he opened Fangtasia.

"Come on you two, no time for a mush fest, we have the next part of Eric's party to get to. Excuse me a minute while I go and set things up."

Sookie hopped off her chair and went through the door to the offices and private areas.

"Sooooo," Pam said as soon as Sookie was out of sight. "When did you work it out?"

Eric laughed, "I overheard her scheming on the 'phone a few times and she hid letters and things when she saw me coming. I had no idea it was a birthday party though. How could you tell I knew?"

"Partly because, in the several hundred years I have known you, I can count the number of times I have fooled you on one hand and partly because of your entrance. If you had truly felt threatened, as you indicated to our little fairy, you would never have entered the club without knowing what you were about to face. You were even less likely to do so with Sookie behind you, both of you un- armed. It was actually a worry of mine that you would go back to the car for your sword and I would be mopping up party guests before we could get started."

Eric threw his head back and laughed, Pam could always make him laugh.

"Do not ever tell Sookie that I worked it out, she was so pleased with herself to have concocted this surprise."

Before Pam could answer the lights had dimmed and several young women had entered the bar, just as Sookie slipped back to her seat.

In front of the girls came a vampire that Eric knew slightly, he drew down a banner that had been attached to the ceiling. Written on it in curly letters were the words _'Eric's Angels'_.

All the women were dressed identically in high heeled black pumps, fishnet stockings, sequinned black hot-pants and a red halter top with the words, _'Property of the Viking'_ stencilled on them. Eric grinned from ear to ear and squeezed Sookie's hand appreciatively.

First up was Liz, she was a cute and sassy New Yorker who worked for Eric as his PR Executive for all his business in and around Shreveport, she handed him a T shirt that read _'Pillage My Village'_ and then backed away to stand directly in front of him. He gave her a sexy smile and a thank you; she blushed a delectable shade of pink.

After Liz was Caroline, she was a feisty brunette who only the other week had punched a customer in the mouth for being overfriendly and calling her 'Line' as if he had known her for years. She had worked with Eric for the past 7 years, even though she lived in Canada, as the co-owner of a publishing house specialising in supe literature. She had done so well with the business that last year Eric had asked Pam to pick her out a very special gift in Tiffany. Pam had purchased a diamond star on a white gold chain and from then on had referred to her as 'Twinkle'. Caroline handed a volume entitled _'The Viking Sex Guide'_ and then stood next to Liz in the line.

Sookie decided to get a look at that later, what was the betting that Caroline spoke (or in this case wrote) from experience?

Following them was a woman, originally from Virginia, who Sookie had only met twice, once because she was the head of an upscale printing and party events company in Monroe, she had asked the girl, known only as 'Frannie' to make up some engraved invitations for the party. Pam had told her that Eric used the company, called 'Saints' regularly. Frannie approached Eric and, with a sparkle in her eye, showed him a tattoo on her lower back that read _'Eric is Mine'_.

Eric laughed as she joined the others. More so when he saw Sookie's indignant face.

"Do not worry my love, Frannie likes a joke, and the tattoo is only a temporary one I assure you, I can smell the chemicals."

"Humph," Sookie said, "I wouldn't have thought of this if I had realised you have probably slept with all these women!"

Eric looked a little sheepish, which only served to confirm Sookie's suspicions. Still, that was before they had bonded and if she intended to be jealous of every Betty and Sue he had been with she would hardly have time for anything else! Eric began sending her comfort and love through the bond and she realised it was who he was with now that was important, she may not be his first but she was sure going to be his last, whilst she lived anyway...

After Frannie came a girl called Linda who the others nicknamed 'Snowbird' because she had moved South to enjoy the warmer weather. It certainly seemed to be suiting her, Snowbird's skin glowed and her beautiful, long hair looked glossy enough to have come out of a shampoo commercial. She was Eric's corporate lawyer and her feminine appearance belied the fact she was a killer in the courtroom.

She sashayed up to Eric and handed him a hand-drawn cartoon in a beautiful frame. It depicted a lawyer, a Martian and a figure that looked remarkably like Eric. The wording read...

'_What do honest lawyers, aliens and vampires have in common?'_

'_Everyone has heard of them but few people have actually seen one.'_

That earned her a guffaw from Eric and a slap on the ass as she went to join her place in the line.

Only three girls remained.

Next was Kristen, a California girl with deep brown hair, no one really knew what she did for Eric but it was pretty top secret. Sookie had overheard him and Pam discussing her one day, (_that air vent in the women's changing rooms could be very useful_, she thought) all she could make out was 'searching for other species of vampires.' Sookie had no clue what it meant but she realised that Kirsten was doing something very important and didn't ask any more questions. She also had a shirt, one that made everyone laugh, it was the standard depiction of the evolution of man, you know the one, where it starts from an ape and then gradually turns into the male of today. At the far right of line was a picture of Eric looking back at the most modern man, a speech bubble said 'Why the fuck are you following me?'

Second to last was a gorgeous Russian girl called Larissa Fyodorovna, although everyone called her 'Lara'. She had moved down to from Brooklyn to help oversee all of Eric's eateries as a creative director, she spoke 12 languages and there were rumours she had once been a spy. Lara stalked up to Eric, whispered some words of a foreign language to him in a sultry voice and handed him what looked to be some sort of ancient sword.

"What did she say?" Sookie whispered to Pam.

"You really do not want to know," she replied. Noticing Sookie's infuriated expression she said, "Sookie!' Eric's Angels' was your idea after you watched that dance troupe on the internet."

"I know," Sookie muttered crossly, "but I don't suppose he has slept with every member of 'Hot Gossip', although on second thoughts..."

She was distracted by the last girl to approach. Linds was someone she knew well; a freelance writer who often wrote copy for any advertising campaigns Eric's businesses ran. She had been responsible for bringing in several thousand dollars worth of new business, although Sookie was sure that wasn't the only reason that Eric liked her.

At first her gift seemed fairly innocuous, a carved brown leather belt with an ornate belt buckle in the shape of a Viking's helmet. Eric was pleased to see that it didn't have horns, that particular misconception irked him very much, along with the accusation that raping on raids was the norm. Of course it happened, but it was extremely frowned upon and anyway, they had plenty of willing woman back at home, all warm and ready for the men's return.

He examined the belt more carefully and then began to quake with silent laughter, both Pam and Sookie craned their necks to see what had amused him so. All along the belt was carved the words '_Hung like a Viking_'. Linds was looking very pleased that her gift had made him laugh so much; with a final little bow she was the last to join the line.

As the first notes of '_Shiver'_ by Maroon Five came blasting from the speakers, seven swings/trapezes came down from the ceiling of the club and stopped at the height that the girls could easily climb onto them. With seven sequinned asses firmly in place, the swings began to rise until they were about six feet from the floor.

'_You build me up__  
__You knock me down__  
__Provoke a smile__  
__And make me frown__  
__You are the King of run-around__  
__You know it's true'_

The girls begin to swing backwards and forwards, parting their legs as they move further away and treating Eric to a view of their cleavages on the way back. He began to clap in time to the beat and soon the whole club was stamping their feet and shouting out encouragement.

"This is one of my favourite songs Lover, how clever of you to realise that!"

"Oh, I had some help," Sookie replied, winking at the head dancer, Sheba, who was watching from the bar, she lifted her cocktail in acknowledgement.

The routine became steadily more complex and very sexy; each girl adopted a different pose, draped over their swings, and blew a kiss at Eric.

'_There may not__  
__Be another way to your heart__  
__So I guess I'd better find a new way in__  
__I shiver when I hear your name__  
__Think about you but it's not the same__  
__I won't be satisfied I'm under your skin'_

Several of the guests had begun to sing along and the barrage of whistles and catcalls intensified when the swings drifted slowly back down to the floor and each girl got off before they were pulled back up.

They were dancing together now, bumping and grinding against each other as they ran their hands up and down their own bodies and each others'. It was a mesmerising sight and it made Eric fleetingly think of the old days, down in the huge, red room under the club, where he had enjoyed all these ladies had to offer. Sometimes one on one and sometimes not... No one had ever left Eric's playroom unsatisfied, in fact he'd carried all of these girls back up the stairs at one point or another, mainly when they had no longer been able to walk unaided.

Now though he had Sookie. He was aware that some of the fangbangers thought he had gone soft, bonding to a human girl and a barmaid from some Podunk small town at that. These seven girls however were friends rather than fangbangers; they had all said how much they would miss playtime with him but were genuinely happy for him that he had found someone he wanted to commit to.

The dance was coming to an end and every fang in the room, including Eric's, had descended at the lusty display, as the final lyrics played out the girls sank to the floor, glowing with pride.

'_So come to bed it's getting late__  
__There's no more time for us to waste__  
__Remember how my body tastes__  
__You feel your heart begin to race'_

The whole club erupted in loud applause. Eric got to his feet and helped each girl up, rewarding her with a kiss on the cheek and a slap to the bottom to send her on her way.

"Well Casanova? Did you enjoy that?" Sookie was pretending to be annoyed; she was adorable when she did that.

"Casanova? Did you ever meet him Pam? Insufferable little braggart, I think he had a somewhat tenuous grip on reality too. I was told that his only friends were his dogs."

"Just how old do you remember me to be?" Pam asked indignantly. "No, by the time you took me to Eastern Europe I believe he was already dead, in the boring way."

Sookie was laughing at this exchange, she loved to hear them tease each other and share details of their previous lives; they had a wealth of experiences and insights. No wonder older vampires tended to keep their true ages secret; if human historians were aware that there was a man in Shreveport that could remember the turn of the last millennium he would be inundated with requests for interviews. Instead he limited himself to helping his staff or their children, with their school history projects. One teacher had even dared to question the facts Eric had supplied for an essay, Pam and Sookie had to prevent him from ending the man for his slight.

"Sugar, I haven't given you my present yet. Will you come back to your office so I can rectify that?" She gave him her best sexy smile.

"Of course little one. Pam, I trust you will be happy to entertain the guests while we are gone?"

Pam shared a glance with Liz and Linds and assured Eric that everything would be perfectly fine.

He followed Sookie back to his office, watching her delicious ass sway in her little dress, '_that alone was a birthday party'_ he thought.

She led him into the room and then skipped around him to lock the door,

"I don't want any interruptions. It's finally my turn to give you your gift."

Sookie moved around him and sat on the edge of the desk, she arched her back to reach for something behind her and Eric took that as an invitation to come closer and attempted to uncross her legs so he could force his way between them.

"Hey, hey, hey big guy, not so fast, presents first, thanks later!"

She had reached her purse and was pulling out two items from it. One looked to be a book of some kind, quite thin with a handmade cover and the other was a long tube, like the kind they used to mail out the Fangtasia posters. Had Sookie finally given in and had some naked pictures taken for him?

"These are both from me alone and I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about them, except Pam of course, Amelia knows about part of it too but I want to keep them between us Baby'"

"Off course Sookie, whatever you wish." He was really intrigued now and could not wait to see what she had for him.

She handed him the small book first, on the front it said 'Eric's Special Coupons'.

"You have bought me some coupons for a store? Thank you Lover, I am sure we will have fun picking something out together, especially if they take them in the lingerie store..."

"Funny you should say that," Sookie replied, "you better look at them more closely."

Eric opened the book; each page was a pullout coupon and made out like a cheque in Sookie's own handwriting. The first one he came to left him speechless for a moment, when he regained his voice he read out,

"This coupon entitles the bearer (Sheriff Eric Northman, Viking Sex God) to one blowjob, performed by his bonded, Sookie Stackhouse, whenever and wherever he wishes."

Eric looked at Sookie and she giggled and blushed uncontrollably, from how much flesh he could see, the colour looked to travel all the way down...

"I think I should like to trade in this coupon now please, Miss Stackhouse"

"What's the rush, you have several of those and you haven't looked at the others yet, maybe there will be something that you will like better?"

Eric continued to thumb through the little slips of paper, they entitled him to things like naked massages, evenings spent sitting on his lap in Fangtasia, role play scenarios of his choice (he had a few ideas about that one already), some bondage suggestions (complete with stick figure drawings), several 'dinner' vouchers and, near the back, some that allowed him sex in any position, at anytime. The coupon for 'sex in a public place of your choosing' fired his imagination somewhat too; he wondered if that included the hood of Bill's car whilst he was driving it, but thought it wise not to suggest that to Sookie... yet.

At the very back were three slips that had no duplicates, he looked at Sookie with a raised eyebrow.

"They are the one offs Eric, so be careful when you use them, because they can only be used once." She smiled at him teasingly.

"Lingerie of my choice for one week, that will be very tempting to use straightaway my sweet, a nude photo-shoot for the both of us and a blank coupon?"

"I want the photographs taken, tasteful ones mind, by a photographer we do not know and one that you will glamour afterward, I want to make sure that they stay our secret." When Eric nodded his head she pointed to the blank. "That one is extra special Sugar. It is blank because you can exchange it for anything that you wish, anything that is in my power to give you, short of you turning me; I am not ready to think about that yet, I hope you understand."

"I do my darling, I would not expect you to make a choice like that on a whim, neither would I use this voucher without careful thought, and I shall not waste this wonderful gift."

He leaned towards her and gave her a melting kiss, pouring all the love and contentment he felt right now through the bond they shared.

Sookie looked at him with shining eyes; she knew he would love that present, she only hoped this one went down well too...

"This is the last one I am afraid, but I hope I have saved the best until last my darling."

She handed Eric the mailing tube and held her breath as he opened it.

Inside was a scroll of some kind, it was printed on old paper and sealed with wax; Eric took his paper knife and opened the seal. The scroll immediately uncurled and he spread it out on his desk. Across the top in copperplate script it read

_Deed of Trust_

_Date:__ The fifth day of May 2010 _

_Grantor:__ Sookie Stackhouse_

_Grantee:__ Eric Northman_

_This deed grants full and undeniable ownership of Sookie Stackhouse to the Grantor (Eric Northman) under the agreement that he shall care for her, love her and promise to protect her for the rest of her days on Earth. _

_It is stated that Sookie Stackhouse now belongs completely to Eric Northman; this shall include her heart, soul and all the love she possesses. In return she will care for him, comfort him and protect him from all harm, to the limit of her abilities._

_This deed is given freely and the Grantor is of sound mind and capability._

_Witnessed on this day by_

_Pamela Ravenscroft – Child of Eric Northman_

_Amelia Broadway – Trusted friend._

_Signed and accepted by the Grantor _

Sookie handed Eric a pen.

"Only if you want to Eric."

"Sookie does this mean what I think it means?" He was truly astounded.

"If you think it means that I am saying I am yours, then yes it does. I doubt very much that it would stand up in any court, human at least, but it is binding here." She touched her chest.

Eric took the pen and signed his name with a flourish. When he raised his eyes to Sookie's there was one small, red tear tracking its way down his cheek.

"Sookie I am totally overwhelmed, how can I ever thank you for this gift?"

"By looking after me, loving me, just like the deed says. Just doing what you do now."

He pulled her toward him and began to kiss her tenderly but with great passion, their lips parted and, as their tongues touched, they both moaned into the other's mouth.

Within seconds he was doing what he had wanted to do all night and untying the fabric at the nape of Sookie's neck, the top of the dress fell forwards, rewarding him with the sight of her bare breasts. He took a moment just to look.

"See something you like sire?" she teased.

"Oh yes, from this initial survey I think I shall be well pleased with my new property, it looks very lush and ripe." He smiled to soften any offence she may have taken at the word 'property' but was very pleased to see that she smiled, widely, back.

"Maybe you should explore further."

Eric didn't need inviting twice, he lowered his head to her breasts and took one tight little bud into his mouth and sucked gently, matching each rhythmic pull with a flick of his cool tongue. Sookie arched her back and pushed herself towards him, he could see the whiteness of her knuckles as she clutched the edge of his desk."

"Open your legs for me Lover."

She parted her thighs as he pushed between them. Sookie feel his erection pushing at the front of his jeans.

"Eric, it's your birthday, let me pleasure you. Take off your clothes and lie back on the couch for me."

"As you wish."

He began to undo his dark grey shirt, working each button slowly, never taking his eyes from her face. As his chest was exposed he ran his fingers through the hair there. It was darker than the hair that grew from his head, a kind of dull gold. He worked further, caressing the muscles of his abdomen, teasing down to the waist of his jeans. When Sookie looked at him his eyes appeared to be navy blue, all pupil and very seductive.

"Eric, don't make me wait, I want you in my mouth."

With a sexy grin, he bent at the waist, keeping a smouldering eye contact with her, removed his boots and socks, and then lowered his jeans to the floor; and kicked them away.

"On the couch baby, on your back, I want to see everything."

He laid back, one arm behind his head and the other resting along the back of the couch. His legs mirrored that position, one foot was on the floor and he had his other knee bent and his foot on the seat. He lay there, spread out like the most sumptuous buffet anyone had ever seen.

"You are so beautiful" she said as she walked towards him, letting her dress drop to the floor.

"As are you my love, but please, leave the panties on, I will need something to peel from your lovely body."

The words sent a shudder through Sookie. She climbed onto the bottom of the couch and lowered her head to Eric's stomach, breathing warm breaths across the soft hairs she found there. This time it was Eric's turn to shudder.

This was not a night for teasing she decided, well not until they were home at least. He was straining his hips towards her, presenting her with his hardness.

"I know where it is Viking; you don't have to show me."

Any reply he may have made was cut off by Sookie grasping him around his base and running her thumb very firmly along the groove on the underside of his cock. Eric gasped and jerked his hips.

She began working her hand up and down, the first pass moving his skin like silk across a steel bar and revealing the head of his cock, dark pink and swollen with desire.

"Mmm, you look good enough to eat."

"Then eat me Lover, take as much as you want," he replied, hoarsely.

"All in good time."

She had noticed, when she had watched Eric pleasure himself, he was much rougher than she had ever dared to be. She curled her hands around his balls and gave them a very firm squeeze, earning a hiss of pleasure from Eric. Pleased that she was on the right track Sookie tugged on them, giving him a massage with her hand at the same time.

Eric practically levitated, and not in his usual way. The only part of him touching the couch was his shoulders and one foot; his body had arched away from the leather like a tight, muscular bowstring.

"Fuck, Sookie, do that again!"

She nuzzled her face into his curls, "You wish is my command, Master."

This time when he rose up from the couch she took his penis into her mouth; he growled at the suddenness of it and tried to thrust even higher. She smiled around him and began to slide his cock into her mouth whilst pulling and squeezing on the heaviness below at the same time.

Eric was in complete ecstasy. He could feel his wife's soft breasts against his thighs, her hot wet mouth around his hardness and her equally hot little hands causing him both pleasure and pain. He was trying desperately to hold on but when her other hand moved back to his base and began pressing into the underside of his cock he thought he would explode. Just when he was on the edge, balls tightening, muscles clamping down throughout his pelvis and his head swelling between Sookie's lips, his maddening little fairy began to slow her pace.

"Lover, I am so close, I do you deny me?"

Sookie smiled up at him and removed her lips long enough to say,

"A very sexy vampire once told me that the longer you can hold back, the better the release when it comes..."

"Then he was a fool." He panted back. Although he did not need to breathe he had discovered that his love enjoyed it when he did it during lovemaking. Anything to please his woman.

Sookie bent her head to him once more, delicately licking a little ruby of fluid from his slit. She had been told by the other waitresses, and heard in people's heads, much to her chagrin, that semen was disgusting, salty and bitter. Arlene even said she used to keep a can of soda by the bed to rinse her mouth out! She had been dreading the first time she tasted Eric, but was so excited to have him in her mouth and see the power it gave her over this ancient creature that she forget to worry about what would happen when he came. As it was she didn't need to. Eric's come was cool and tasted a lot like his blood, rich and sweet, Sookie groaned in pleasure as she swallowed it and her vampire had looked very pleased with himself.

She brought herself back from her memories of that lovely time when he was cursed and she was sheltering him. She drew deeply on his dick as she would his neck and fluttered her tongue across the sensitive triangle of skin behind his head.

It was time to bring the pace up again though. She began to suck deeper and more rhythmically, her hand tightened around him and she brought the other hand up to dip a finger into the wetness pooling at his base. She drew the finger along the soft skin behind his balls and delighted in the shiver she got in return. Just as Eric was about to lose control again she slid the finger between his cheeks and began to circle his other entrance.

"Oh Sookie, min alskare, yes, please, fuck, yes."

As she gently slid the finger inside him she began to take more of him in her mouth, Eric went wild, bucking his hips and crying out in his own language. She crooked her finger slightly and found the little bump she was looking for, Eric's own pleasure spot. One tiny tap on it and Eric was bucking so hard she feared she would be thrown off him.

Eric had taken leave of his senses, all he could feel was the wet warmth in which he was sheathed and that tiny probing finger, making all his muscles clamp down with a delicious intensity. Sookie pressed his spot faster, sucked him more furiously and he could hold on no longer.

His brain shut down and instinct took over, he grabbed her hair to hold her in place and then thrust with everything he had, Sookie matched each thrust with equal enthusiasm. He was falling, every muscle in his body tensing, and then, like an electrical short, he jerked and came so hard, his essence tearing out of him almost painfully and into his Lover's willing mouth.

Sookie looked up at him, licking her lips in appreciation.

"You look wrecked but still the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. How do you do that?" she asked him.

He laughed and attempted to sit up and reach her hips so he could turn her around and return the favour.

"Uh oh, no way Mister, you've had your present, you will have to wait to claim your property rights. This is a party remember?" she was doing up her dress and trying to make her hair look like she hadn't pillaging a Viking.

"But Sugar," he whined, trying to use one of her pet names against her, "I think I should get a little taste too, after all that is as much of a gift as the one you just gave me."

"It's not a 'no' Eric, it's just a 'not right now'. There is still the cake to be cut."

"Um, Sookie?" he looked at her with his head on one side, "You do know I do not eat?"

"Of course! But the humans do and it's tradition to have a cake, the birthday boy, in your case, cuts it, everyone has a piece and if there is enough left they take a piece home. That shouldn't be a problem here; we have less than 30 humans at this party."

Eric still looked doubtful so Sookie played her ace in the hole...

"But lover, it was the only thing I allowed Pam to do on her own, she was so proud to be trusted with a human tradition, and for her beloved Maker too, we can't let her down can we?"

Eric knew he was being manipulated but he didn't care, Sookie was right, she and his child had gone to a lot of trouble to organise all this for him and he didn't want them to be disappointed by any of his reactions.

"Okay my darling, wait here please whilst I clean myself up"

He grabbed his jeans and went into the small bathroom.

Eric thought back over the evening. It really had been very enjoyable, the dancing by his seven 'Angels' had pleased him very much, there had been some wonderful gifts too, he was looking forward to taking Sookie ( and Amelia's toys and The Viking Sex Guide) on that trip. His thoughts turned to the blank coupon, he could ask her for anything he liked, short of turning her which he didn't think was right at the moment anyway. There was only one thing that he truly desired for them and he wasn't at all sure she would agree, with or without his coupon.

Sookie was knocking on the door and telling him to stop shilly shallying, so he quickly finished buttoning his shirt and came out to her in the hallway.

"Remember, you need to act surprised about the cake, I shouldn't have told you. Are you any good at feigning surprise?" she asked.

"I think I can manage Lover." He answered with a smirk.

"Eric! Sookie! How good of you to join us! There is still one more thing that we have to do to make this a proper and correct birthday party!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, vampires and bloodbags!" (this got a big laugh) "Please can you gather around the table in the centre of the room, our birthday vampire is about to cut his cake!"

There were some mutterings about 'human food' amongst the vampires, but everyone wisely did as Pam asked.

"Eric, when Sookie and Amelia informed me that humans have cake on their birthdays I decided that to make this an authentic party you should have one too, even though your eating habits are far more elegant. I would not dare to suggest that your lovely Bonded has control issues but I was honoured to take this responsibility myself, indeed I ordered the perfect cake!"

With that she handed Eric a large knife, she had had the thought to check it for bloodstains before she gave it to him, and drew him towards a large box on the table.

She pulled off the lid and stood back so Eric could see inside.

Sookie heard Amelia's horrified gasp but she was behind Eric and too short to see. She pushed him until he moved over and then drew the cake box closer.

For the most part the cake was a deep and nauseating green, designed to look like grass. In the centre was a rectangular hole, clearly intended to be a grave, and at the head of the hole was a tombstone that read;

'Eric Northman

May 5th 950 ish to NEVER

Do not worry, it is only temporary.'

Underneath that a figure, that looked to be a naked Eric, depicted in marzipan, was climbing from the grave, speckled with dirt and with a crazed look on his face. There were even two tiny fangs in what appeared to be coconut.

At the very bottom, in blood red script, it read

'Congratulations on your escape from being a worthless bloodbag'

Everyone had begun laughing but Sookie was far from amused.

'Pam, what the fuck is this thing? We are supposed to be celebrating the day of Eric's proper birth...but apart from that it's gross! Who gives someone a birthday cake with a grave on it?"

"I do." Pam replied, showing more than a little fang

"At least the figure appears to be anatomically correct," Eric bent to look more closely, "and they have me in proportion it seems."

The Eric's Angels crowded round to have a look and agreed with his analysis. When Liz and Caroline picked it up to look and Eric offered them 'as much cock as they could swallow' Sookie finally lost her temper.

"That's enough!" she shouted. "Birthday cakes are supposed to have pretty icing and nice words! A candle to denote how old the person is, not a pornographic corpse!"

There were a few mutters of 'she doesn't usually mind' but Sookie's livid face soon forced them into silence.

"Sugar," Pam was overdoing Sookie's Southern drawl to annoy her further, "if I put a candle on that cake for every year mah Daddy had been alive we'd be breaching the fiyah codes. In fact we'd probably burn the whole place down. Fuck a Zombie honey; are you as stupid as you look?"

The crowd was stunned into silence and began to melt slowly away from the table. Sookie spotted Bill for the first time; he was looking down at the cake with a mix of horror and smug satisfaction.

"Bill! What do you think of Eric's cake?" Sookie called out.

"What? Er, I think it's perfect for him, in fact I really like it."

Pam's face fell, her body froze in horror. Sookie and Eric turned to her in alarm.

"What ails you child? Are you afflicted?"

"I have failed you, if fucking Compton likes it then it must be totally tasteless and hideous!" she threw herself at Sookie and begged for forgiveness.

Eric looked at them, Pam's subservient grovelling to his human and Sookie's discomfort as she attempted to pat her back; he threw back his head and gave out the biggest belly laugh he could ever remember having. From the dancers, the coupons and to the cake he had the best birthday ever. Even if he had nothing to compare it to, he couldn't wait for next year.

The End

If you review please wish the magnificent seven a happy belated birthday!


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